It is virtually impossible for a Los Angeles driver to take to the road and not see another driver with his or her eyes glued to a cellphone. In fact, the problem has gotten so bad that 46 states — including Washington, D.C. — have created laws that ban texting and driving. However, the problem does not only relate to texting and talking. The problem also relates to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google Maps, YouTube, Spotify and now there’s a very dangerous new kid on the block: Pokémon Go.

The Pokémon themed smartphone application has taken the world by storm, and even though the application warns drivers not to play the game behind the wheel, many individuals are neglecting to adhere to this recommendation. For example, recently news reports have referenced a man who drove his car into a parked police patrol car because he was distracted by Pokémon Go. In another scenario, a teenager was accused of driving her vehicle straight into a power pole because she was playing the video game.

The founder of the anti-distracted driving (pro-attentive driving) group, StopDistractions.org, says that her mother was killed in a car crash caused by a distracted 20-year-old who was busy on the cellphone and failed to stop at a red light as a result. Since her mother died, she has been working to help families who have lost loved ones as a result of distracted driving. Sadly, there are far too many families who have lost loved ones in this fashion. The founder of the group says that besides Pokémon Go, the other danger to drivers is Snapchat, a cellphone application that facilitates the posting and watching of online video clips.

Distracted driving is not only dangerous and destructive; it is also unlawful. Furthermore, victims of distracted drivers and the family members of deceased victims may have strong claims to seek financial restitution for their injuries and losses in court. At Greene Broillet & Wheeler, we assist Los Angeles residents assert their legal rights by filing such claims, and we have successfully assisted countless car accident victims to recover money to pay for their injuries, pain and suffering, lost income and other damages following a serious car accident.